Beers to try at All Pints North 2015

It is that time of year. Time for a delightful afternoon on the shore of Lake Superior enjoying beer, jamming to music, consuming a Nate Dog or two, and letting the good times roll at All Pints North in Duluth, MN.

All Pints North summer beer festival grows every year. The festival has 95+ breweries occupying Bayfront Park for 2015, most of them Minnesota breweries.

At any beer festival you will see brewers showcasing some big beers, some barrel-aged, and some over-the-top hoppy. But, Minnesota is enjoying the sweet spot of summer right now. Brewers are aware of that and they are bringing offerings that reflect the season. You’ll see a good amount of of fruit, wheat, and sour beers at All Pints North. That doesn’t mean you won’t find me sneaking a taste of Sommelier George Hunter Stout from Castle Danger, a first sip of Surly NEIN, or a wee dram of Bourbon County Brand Stout. But like most people, I drink with the season/weather. This weekend in Duluth will be no different.

Drinking every beer from every brewer at All Pints North is truly an impossibility. If you are drinking with the weather like me, here are a few beers you may want put near the top of your list to try before palate fatigue takes over.

Schell’sToo Many Peaches
Starkbier Berliner Weisse aged on Peaches. Just like
the name says, this was meant to be Starkeller Peach,
but with a little too much peach. Extremely hazy and
bursting with tart peach flavor and aroma. For those
who like their OJ with a little extra pulp! 3.66 pH, 1.14
Total acidty
ABV: 7.3 IBU: 5

Sociable Cider WerksHabenero Cucumber Freewheeler
A firkin of Freewheeler infused with freshly sliced habanero
peppers and cucumbers. The cucumber cools
as the habanero scratches its way across your palette
ABV: 6.2 IBU:

Bent Paddle Brewing
Nitro Vanilla Cold Press Black Bent Paddle Black infused with Duluth Coffee Co. cold
press coffee and infused with Madagascar vanilla on
nitro. This beer is brewed to be a smooth, chocolatey,
semi-roasted ale that bridges the islands of porter and
stout, with a generous amount of oats to round out
the flavor.
ABV: 6 IBU: 35

Castle Danger BrewerySummer Crush
Light, refreshing and tart. Our take on a summer
shandy without being one. Brewed with Sorachi Ace
hops and acidulated malt lends a nice burst of lemon
flavor and aroma with a dry tartness throughout. Its
the un-shandy.
ABV: 4.5 IBU: 22

Fitger’s BrewhouseFramboise
This beer is our version of a very unique Belgian beer style
brewed only in the Lambic region outside Brussels. Our version is
fermented in wine barrels with a blend of Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces,
Lactobacillus and Pediococcus. After 2 years or more,
the beer is racked onto regionally grown raspberries and allowed
to referment for 6 months. Fitger’s Framboise presents strong
notes of lactic, sour aroma with a tart and well balanced flavor.
ABV: 6.5 IBU: 0

Lift Bridge BrewingCitra Kellerbier
Building on tradition, we have used the lemony Citra
hops to elevate the classice Germanic style Kellerbier
to a refreshing summer treat. A natural haze welcomes
you to quaff the citurs hop nose and then dive
into the straw malt character, finishing ultra clean and
crisp thanks to the lager yeast.
ABV: 4.5 IBU: 35